Oral Answers to Questions — Justice – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 23 March 2010.
Philip Hollobone
Conservative, Kettering
2:30,
23 March 2010
How many Republic of Ireland nationals are serving sentences in prisons in England and Wales.
Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice) (also in Government Equalities Office), Minister of State (Government Equalities Office) (also in the Ministry of Justice)
At the end of June 2009, there were 524 prisoners from the Republic of Ireland serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales.
Philip Hollobone
Conservative, Kettering
Given the cost to the British taxpayer of their incarceration, and that only Jamaican and Nigerian nationals have higher populations in our jails, why is Her Majesty's Government not returning to secure detention in the Republic Irish nationals who consent to go?
Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice) (also in Government Equalities Office), Minister of State (Government Equalities Office) (also in the Ministry of Justice)
Such arrangements are voluntary. If people wish to go, their returns can be facilitated, and there is no reason why not. We no longer deport-except in exceptional circumstances-at the end of a sentence of imprisonment because of the operation of the common travel area, which means that people can simply return.
